Jack Wang

Staff Writer

Recent articles

UCLA

Jim Mora dragged himself to Warner Bros. Studios on Thursday, but that doesn’t mean he has to be happy about it.“I would like no one to ever rank us,” he said. “I would like no one to ever cover us. I’d like to never be on TV. And have no one ever talk about us until the end of the year, but that’s not going to happen.”He was joking — sort of. Pac-12 Media Days always generate their share of levity, from Todd...

UCLA

When will UCLA finally name a starting quarterback? Jim Mora makes it sound as if the choice is out of his hands.“We’ll make it when the decision is made — when the decision presents itself,” the Bruin head coach said Wednesday on ESPN, less than 24 hours before the start of Pac-12 Media Days.That awkward bit of passive voice isn’t surprising. For months now, Mora has refused to disclose...

College football

In the first four Pac-12 title games, the north representative has won by 18, 3, 24 and 38 points.In 2015, the Pac-12 South could have its best chance at finally claiming the conference championship.The most popular pick is USC, which has already been touted widely as a potential top-10 team despite Steve Sarkisian’s good-not-great debut last fall. There are many reasons for this, not least of which is the power of the...

College football

Ever since Pete Carroll bolted for the NFL, the reputation of West Coast college football has rested largely on the 560 miles of freeway between Eugene and Palo Alto. That balance seems far less stable in 2015.Stanford already took a step back last fall, notching single-digit wins and missing out on a major bowl for the first time since 2009. A once-vaunted defensive line then lost a trio of fifth-year seniors, including All Pac-12 first-teamer Henry Anderson — a third-round...

College football

Week 1: Michigan at UtahThursday, Sept. 3, 5:30 p.m. PT (FOX Sports 1)Utah pulled off a stunning upset at the Big House last season, but first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh should have Michigan looking like a completely different team this time.Week 2: Oregon at Michigan StateSaturday, Sept. 12, 5 p.m. PT (ABC)Oregon dominated Michigan State last season to firmly establish itself as a national title contender. Another win over the Spartans...

UCLA

The true freshman’s quarterback learning curve is steep.First of all, there’s the task of mastering a thicker college playbook and getting to know and trust all your new teammates. That comes while trying to navigate a new campus, and figuring out how best to utilize a schedule not bound by daily curfew. And, for some, it involves learning how to handle a glaring national spotlight.Can UCLA’s Josh Rosen — all but officially the starter — be...

College football

Even without a single collegiate snap to his name, Josh Rosen is the X-­factor in UCLA’s season. Every offensive starter from last year’s team returned — except the quarterback. Can the true freshman perform as well as former three-­year starter Brett Hundley?Not that the Bruins necessarily need him to. An offensive line that looks far...

Sports

Three years ago, many had doubts about Jim Mora’s fit at UCLA. Here was an NFL lifer who was perhaps best known for his father — who in turn was best known for his inimitable “Playoffs?!” rant with the Indianapolis Colts. In his own head coaching career, he was unspectacular: a 26­-22 record in Atlanta and a 5­-11 record in Seattle, with both stints ending in his firing.But shiftIng to the college ranks was a better move than anyone...

Assault and battery

On Monday, hip hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested for allegedly assaulting a UCLA football assistant coach. Here are all the details about what transpired, and what comes next.What exactly happened?Diddy was at UCLA offeseason workout on Monday when he saw strength coach Sal Alosi berating his son,...

UCLA

Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested at UCLA on Monday afternoon on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly using a kettlebell to attack an assistant football coach, campus police confirmed.According to a UCLA press release, no one was seriously injured by the kettlebell, a large cast-iron, ball-shaped weight with a single handle.TMZ was first to report that the hip-hop mogul — formerly known as both Puff Daddy and P. Diddy — was...